Lacing probe



LACING PROBE Filed Aug. 2, 1945 Patented May 27, 1947 LACING PROBE Alexander S. Antepenko, Berwyn, Ill.

Application August 2, 1945, Serial No. 608,422

3 Claims.

The present invention relates in general to lacing and has more particular reference to a lacing probe or bobbin device to aid in lacing or threading a support or fastening member through looped or channeled portions of an article or member to be mounted on the support member.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an improved inexpensive bobbin device or probe adapted for attachment on a support member, such as a curtain rod, to provide thereon a removable lacing nose whereby to facilitate application of the rod through a hem or other looped or channeled por-tions of the curtain provided for the reception of the rod.

Another important object is to facilitate the application of a support member, such as a curtain rod, through support loops of channel portions of an article, such as a curtain, to be attached on the support member, by providing a lacing bobbin or probe adapted for attachment, as at the end of the support member, while it is being laced into supporting position in the support portions of the article.

Another important object is to provide a lacing attachment comprising a tapered nose or guard portion and resilient fastening clips adapted for insertion, as in the hollow end of a curtain rod, to support the nose portion of the device, as at the end of the rod, in position to guard the same and prevent snagging the end of the rod when the same is laced into an object to be supported on the rod.

Another important object is to form the nose portion of moldable material whereby to render inexpensive the manufacture of the device by providing for the molding of the nose portion directly upon resilient mounting clip means; a further object being to form the mounting clip means of resilient wire material whereby the attachment may be fabricated, at minimum expense, as a wire bending and plastic molding operation. f

The foregoing and numerous other important objects, advantages, and inherent functions of the invention will become apparent as the invention is more fully understood from the following description, which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a bobbin device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation view showing the bobbin attached in operative position ,at the end of a hollow curtain rod;

n Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional View taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a clip forming a part of the device; and

Fig. 5 is a modied form of mounting clip.

To illustrate the invention, the drawings show a bobbin attachment Il adapted for connection, as at the end of a support member I2, such as a hollow curtain rod. The bobbin attachment comprises a nose yportion I3 oi ovoid sectional configuration and tapering from base to tip whereby the portion I3 has a rear wall I4`and outwardly curved side walls I5 of generally shieldlike marginal configuration, outwardly dished from their meeting edges I6.

Clip means I'I is secured to the nose portion I3 in position extending outwardly of the rear wall I4, said clip means I'I preferably comprising resilient prongs I8 adapted for removable attachment to the end of the member l2, as by pressing the prongs into resilient clamping engagement therewith. The rear wall I4 preferably has an area larger than the sectional area of the member I2 whereby, when the device II is in mounted position, said wall I4 may abut against, overlie and cover the end edges of the member I2 to form an end guard and lacing nose facilitating the application of the member I2 endwise through restricted loops or channels formed on an article, such as a curtain, to be mounted on the member I2.

In this connection, the device II is adapted to cover the usually raw, cut end edges of the member I2 and prevent the same from snagging with, and injuring the material of the curtain or other article in which it may be desired to insert the member I 2. The smooth, tapering surfaces I5 and the rounded leading edge I6 of the nose portion I3 serve to guide the article being mounted onto the member I2, thereby facilitating and reducing the lacing operation to utmost simplcity.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 4 of the drawings,` the prongsl I8 may each comprise a strip of resilient material, such as wire, bent to provide a mounting stem I9 and resilient prong portions 20, including a portion 2l forming an extension of the mounting stem, and a resilient bent leg portion 22, preferably inclined at fan acute angle with respect to the extension 2|, a

kcontinuation 23 of the acutely inclined portion 22, the terminal portions of said continuation portion 23 being looped, as at 24, around the stern I0,` whereby the portions 22 and 23 are normally held. in expanded position by the inherent resilience of the parts, such expanded position being determined and limited by the engagement of the loop portion 24 with the stemIS.- U 7' The clip means I1 preferably comprises at least a pair of prongs I 8 secured in the nose portion I3 with the stems extending outwardly of and at right angles with respect to the rear Wall I4, the stems of the prongs being substantially parallel and the yielding prong portions 22 and 23 of the two prongs extending outwardly of their supporting stems in opposite directions. In mounting the bobbin attachment in the member I2, the prongs I8 are merely pressed into the end of the hollow member, the wedging action of the member on the acutely inclined prong portions 22 serving t0 facilitate the mounting operation by resiliently compressing the prong portions 22 and 23 inwardly toward the stem portions I 9, so that the inherent resilience of saidl portions 22 and 23 exerted outwardly, within the hollow member I2, may frictionally secure the bobbin attachment in mounted position. The stems I8 of the prongs are desir-ably mounted in closely spaced relationship and it is desirable to mount the prongs in offset longitudinal relationship so that the looped portions 24 may clear each other when the prongs are compressed to a maximum extent, as when the device is mounted in a hollow member having a restricted prong receiving opening.

The device may be constructed 'by preforming the nose portion or head I3, and then inserting the prongs I8 by driving the stems thereof into the head, or by otherwise suitably mounting the stems in the head. It is preferable, however, to form the head of suitable moldable plastic material in which case the head may be molded in place about the prong stems I9, thereby completing the fabrication of the device in a single molding operation. It is desirable, also, that the prong stems I9 be provided with means for anchoring the same, in the head I3, against relative turning and axial movement in the head. To this end, the stems may be provided with lateral notches or grooves 25, as indicated in Fig. 4, or they may be bent or otherwise shouldered to anchor the same in the material of the head, and the embedded ends of the stems also may be mitered, as at 2B, by cutting the same diagonally with respect to the longitudinal axis.

As illustrated in Fig. 5, the embedded ends of the prongs I8 may be interconnected, as at 21, by making both prongs from an integral length of wire. In such case, the interconnected stems serve to anchor themselves rmly in the head by virtue of the embedded connecting portion 21.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein disclosed being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

l. A lacing device of the class described comprising a guiding head and mounting clip means on and extending from said head in position to removably attach said head as at the end of a channeled support member. whereby to facilitate the lacing of said support member, as through a restricted loop or channel, in an article to be -lacingly connected therewith, said mounting clip .means comprising a pair of spaced apart resilient members having stem portions mounted on and extending from said head in generally mutually parallel relationship, each of said resilient members having an integral outwardly bent support engaging portion forming a loop with the stem portion, said bent portion being formed with a terminal loop embracing the stem por-Y tion adjacent said guiding head, whereby said terminal loop may slide on said stem in a direction laterally thereof and guide the movement of said support engaging portion with respect to said stem.

2. A lacing device of the class described comprising a guiding head and mounting clip means on and extending from said head in position to removably attach said head as at the end of a channeled support member, whereby to facilitate the lacing of said support member, as through a restricted loop or channel, in an article to be lacingly connected therewith, said mounting clip means comprising a length of resilient wire having bent medial portions secured to said head and a pair of spaced apart wire members having stem portions extending from said head in generally mutually parallel relationship, each of said wire members having an integral outwardly bent support engaging portion forming a loop with the stem portion, an integral bent portion forming a terminal loop on said support engaging portion in position embracing the stem portion adjacent said guiding head, whereby said elongated loop may slide on said stem in a direction laterally thereof and guide the movement of said support engaging portion with respect to said stem.

3. A lacing device of the class described comprising a guiding head and mounting clip means on and extending from said head in position to removably attach said head as at the end of a channeled support member having opposed inner walls, whereby to facilitate the lacing of said support member, as through a restricted loop or channel, in an article to be lacingly connected therewith, said mounting clip means comprising a pair of spaced apart wire members having stem portions mounted on and extending from said head in generally mutually parallel relationship, each of said wire members having an integral outwardly bent support engaging portion forming a loop with the stem portion, an elongated terminal loop on said support engaging portion in position embracing the stem portion adjacent said guiding head, said stem portions being adapted to flex mutually inwardly, upon insertion of said clip means in a channeled support whereby to resiliently urge said support engaging p0rtion in position .engaging the vopposed inner walls of the support member throughout the length of said support engaging portions.

.ALEXANDER S. ANTEPENKO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,859,489 Appleyard May 24 1932 2,230,155 Brobst v Jan. 28, 1941 1,810,207 l Hart 1" June 16, '1931 2,378,970 Baumann June 26, 1945 2,183,328 Baacke Dec. 12, 1939 2,024,694 Koehler Dec. 17, 1935 1,253,749 Underwood Janrl, 1918 758,845 Monaghan --1 May 3,1904 

